Enough: NATO should stop feeding the Russian troll

For many years NATO attempted to use dialogue as the basis for its partnership with Russia. The Alliance operated in the spirit of trust and transparency. But this trust was, too often, abused: Russia disregarded the principles laid down in the 1997 NATO–Russia Founding Act; withdrew from the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty; violated the Helsinki Act; bullied its neighbors, and tried to block Central European democracies from becoming NATO members.

And still the Alliance continued to hope for a constructive approach from Moscow. It agreed to work with Russia on missile defense, and, after Moscow’s military aggression in Georgia in 2008, only suspended formal meetings and cooperation in some areas. This approach stems from the Western belief that deep-rooted differences of principle can be resolved at the negotiation table. But it needs to change.

NATO must make sure the discussions do not serve as a smokescreen that favors the aggressor. This is particularly important as Russia tries to blackmail NATO into renewing frozen relations.

At the Munich Security Conference Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned of the likelihood of a new Cold War. Medvedev called for intensive dialogue and for the restoration of mechanisms to settle concerns, such as mutual arms control. He blamed the West for “refusing to cooperate.”

Medvedev’s “blame-the-West” narrative was even seriously discussed in Europe, with some leaders suggesting that Western countries should go back to business as usual with Russia.

Nobody denies the importance of such dialogue. But how can the West assure that this “normal dialogue” is not regarded as tacit endorsement of Russian crimes?

An aggressor will only stop when it meets a principled and unified position.

It’s important to get the facts straight. NATO-Russia relations are at their lowest ebb in years. This is not because democratic governments made “statements of deep concern” regarding Russian involvement in Ukraine. Deteriorated NATO-Russia relations are a direct consequence of this aggression. Russia grossly violated international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty by annexing Crimea. Its tanks still roll down the streets of Donetsk and its bullets still kill Ukrainian soldiers defending their homeland.

Beyond Ukraine, the Kremlin continues to engage in massive propaganda campaigns aimed at dividing NATO and the EU. It has even gone so far as to use the migration crisis to its own advantage. Do these actions really fall in line with the sincere wish to cooperate with Europe Medvedev had talked about?

Russian actions have made huge fissures in the European security architecture, and the Kremlin shows no sign of changing course. It uses instability in the Middle East and North Africa to obstruct the international coalition’s efforts to fight terrorism and play down concerns about its aggression in Europe. Such policies aggravate our present security threats.

Serious NATO-Russia dialogue must address real concerns. Admitting that the Kremlin is a part of the conflict in Ukraine would be a good start. Russia has to explain its aggression in Ukraine, withdraw its troops, ensure border control, and return annexed Crimea. This will not happen overnight, but Russia must take first steps in this direction immediately, and prove that it wants to take up constructive dialogue.

The lessons of the 21st century are the same as those of the 20th: An aggressor will only stop when it meets a principled and unified position.

If Moscow is to engage in a true partnership with NATO, it must stop its reckless and provocative military activities at NATO borders, including Russian military flights with switched-off transponders over the Baltic Sea (these threaten even civil aviation), violations of Turkey’s airspace, and massive military drills without first warning its neighbors.

Settling for less is not an option. It would open the door to repeating the same mistakes over and over again. The lessons of the 21st century are the same as those of the 20th: An aggressor will only stop when it meets a principled and unified position. If Putin had met an unwavering response following his aggression in Crimea, residents of Donetsk and Luhansk would not be living in a state of war but in a democratic country — a far preferable situation, no matter how imperfect the state of that democracy.

A reasonable Western policy toward Russia should be based on what Russia does, not what it says. Terrorist threats or the need to solve migration issues shouldn’t lead us to turn a blind eye to Russia’s aggression and threats against its neighbors, its disregard for agreements and international law. No country should be allowed to cherry-pick which rules it will implement and which ones it won’t, at the expense of the sovereignty of other nations and international peace. Dialogue can only yield results if it is truly constructive and does not attempt to undermine diplomatic and democratic principles.

If Russia intends to use dialogue with the West as a platform for propaganda, then meeting Russian officials is no more useful than watching Russia Today — a Kremlin-funded television channel that should be called Russia Yesterday for its glorification of the Soviets and Cold War era. Holding meetings for the sake of meetings is worthless. Russia needs to prove, through action, that it is truly ready for dialogue.

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Tim Bond

Its important to get the facts straight to quote from above; allegations of Russian “crimes” is not mixing words made by the Lithuanian foreign minister who obviously has no love for Russia today. Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty was revoked by Russia after the deployment of US missile bases in Poland and Romania which seems provocative by any standards. The February 2014 Kiev revolution appeared to be staged to push Ukraine in to NATO and takeover Crimea. Eastern Ukrainians speak Russian and object to the Kiev oligarchs grabbing power by any means.

Evidently the West including the EU wanted Ukraine in their fold to weaken Russia. Without doubt there is a new Cold War; only this week the US extended the sanctions against Russia due to a hostile US Congress. Russia supports President Assad and that is unacceptable in the West.

The various links between Kiev and Washington remain in place despite the collapse of the Ukrainian economy due to corruption. Anything to make Moscow feel isolated seems a certainty in the West. Europe particularly Italy would like to restore relations with Russia which is an important trading partner for all of Europe; as China enters recessionary conditions.

As for RT Russian television seems a very impressive media organisation that uses mostly US analysts and experts like Peter Lavelle with CROSSTALK which delivers a message that the West prefers to ignore that the world confronting a new enemy called ISIS; the cause of the mass exodus of Syrians Iraqis and Afghans to Europe. Note: Russia tried to rule Afghanistan and failed; likewise NATO in Afghanistan.

Russia is no saint but they do not deserve to get the cold shoulder and to be treated as a joke.
The joke may well be on us for not recognizing Russia as an important contributor to peace on earth. Sorry if my comments rejected by the good people living in the Baltic states but many people in Europe respect Russia and Russian people.

Posted on 3/5/16 | 10:15 AM CEST

Filippo

Someone should suggests the author that Nato Russia relations used to work well enough until the Baltic States entered the alliance. Funny to see how the same happened to UE. What if we appease to Russia and kick them out once and for all?

Posted on 3/5/16 | 12:26 PM CEST

Roland

Ukraine is not a Russia-NATO or EU-Russia issue its a Ukraine-Russia issue. The West should have enabled the Ukranians to build up a massive military machine to remove the Russians from their soil. Ukraine has a very mature defense industry that just needs investment and perhaps some technical know how. Instead we have wasted time and money with mutually destructive sanctions and rude words that only make what is a regional conflict into a wider one. Ukraine should also be allowed to develop a nuclear weapons capacity as the treaty that disarmed it was violated. The Russians tried to make it appear that itvwere rebels not Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine that lie becomes more difficult when body bags come home in ever increasing numbers. It is irrelevant if that soldier ate Polish apples are drank Jack Daniels.

Posted on 3/5/16 | 1:10 PM CEST

JOSE SOUSA

I fully respect the opinion expressed in this article. But it is pure USA political propaganda anti Russia. There is not a single true in all such opinion. Starting with NATO. Everybody knows that, although not written, there was a verbal Gentlemen Agreement between the USA President and the ex URSS President when Gorbachev made the decision to order the withdrawal of Warsaw Pact Armies from Eastern Germany…. and that agreement it was:- ” That NATO would never advance not a single inch in any country of ex URRS, regardeless of whatever it would happen to URSS”. Immediately next day to the fall of the Berlin Wall, NATO start ed planning its full advance all over the ex URSS countries…. coming to the immeditae Russian borders… it is only missing Ukraijna, Georgia, Moldavja…. but in practice NATO is already there… SO it was and it is USA/ EU / NATO who are the Agressores against Russia… and not vice versa…. if there was no Vladimir Putin…. most likely Russia would simply not exist now anymore like istill it is… Chechenya and Daguestan and many other Russian Republics would be by now like the USA colonies in the Balcans…. lost micro States… begging some dolars not to starv… and that is the main and final objectiv of NATO.. to destroy Russia and afterwards China…. that is the plan… how it will develop… it is unpredictable… but unless something serious happens in Russia it is not going to be easy for USA/ EU / NATO to conquer and divide Russia in maybe some hundreds of microstates…. it is going to be WAR.. a full World War.. the 3rd One.. there is no way around it… it is written in the stars… at least in the Illuminati and Bilderberg Agendas… but the outcome this time will be different… the time is come for such people, the Zionist, to pay all the crimes they comitted against mankind…. if ther will be survivors for sure they will not be whom USA plans… it is clear that Russia is ready to use all its nuclear power… at once 1st against USA and NATO… sorry, the Baltic States are in a very sensitive situation, if there is war, Russia will have no way out except to neutralize them imediately…it is pure military strategy… basically we are living the last days of Europe and maybe of all world, thanks to USA, not Russia.

Posted on 3/5/16 | 4:29 PM CEST

TWscott

NATO never offered Russia a true partnership. What they offered was a servitude. USA simply said they are willing to pretend Russia is a part of the rulling west as long as Russia does the same as EU, just kisses the ring and accepts that USA is the only nation who can use force at will, use secret agencies to initiate regime changes and destroy and sanction anyone who steps out of the line. Everybody acted like Putin is a great guy when he supported Bush in the “war against terrorism”. They praised Putin as a responsible ruler when Russia reluctantly agreed with a limited UN action in Lybia (and then completely ignored his protests when they used that agreement as a pretext for NATO directed regime change with disastorous results). He only become evil and corrupt when he refused to do the same with Syria. That, no Ukraine, is the main reason of the current campaign against him. This was the first time after 20 years any nation has dared to openly chalenge USA interests. And it was a nation they can´t just bomb into submission.

The author is wrong if he thinks he can force Russia to get back into the line again. Instead, it´s NATO and USA who will eventually have to learn that they are no longer the only one in the world. That other states have a strategic interests as well. And that you can´t act as enemy and trying everything in your power to undermine the state government, and then be shocked when that state actually dares to treat you as the enemy you clearly are.

One just keeps on wondering what is going down… today an article is circulating in Hungary about the probability of a coming russian ‘hybrid war style’ invasion of Moldova.

The cited risk assessment document draws a dark picture where russia will try to complicate the matters by inciting hatred between Romania and Hungary and concurrently using the refugee crisis to its own ends…

The text in the article is hungarian, but the assessment document is in english.. it definiately makes an interesting reading.

trisul

I agree wholeheartedly with everything in this article. Let me say that I was waiting for someone to say this.

The approach outlined in this article is the approach to peace. Putin is a bully by character, showing real strength, and a willingness to use it, is the only way to stop such a person. As Putin onece said, being chased by wolves in the forest, your only chance is to turn around and kill the leader. This is what he is attempting to do with all this wormongering, intimidate our leaders into backing down. After this, he will just help himself to whatever he likes, this is not something we can afford to allow.

Posted on 3/6/16 | 8:32 PM CEST

Marcel

NATO is the agressor having encouraged a coup supported by various right wing extremist groups from Western Ukraine.

Baltic states are not “western” and never will be.

Western agression against Iraq and support of Gulf State dictatorships makes all the authors arguments irrelevant.

Posted on 3/7/16 | 9:23 AM CEST

Michael.

You started of with complete lies. My advice to Russia is nuke London.

Posted on 3/9/16 | 11:18 PM CEST

Tony Papagallo

its a question of trust.
If you look at America’s record; Sadam, Bin Laden, Assad, Gaddafi, Noriega, Pinochet, Al Nusra, the Taliban, when you outlive our usefulness to the anglo saxons they will flush you down the toilet without a second thought and this will surely not lost on Russia.

America used to be a great nation of integrity and principle but those qualities died on a Normandy beach a lifetime ago.

Now there is more honour in a lake full of crocodiles than there is in the American heart.

Posted on 4/2/16 | 7:55 AM CEST

Reality Check

Does NATO actually believe the claptrap it feeds the media and itself? Support the coup d’etat of a democratically elected leader in lieu of elections mere months away. Support banderite neo-fascists in their pogroms and turn a blind eye to their war crimes, nay even train them to commit more. Eye the day that Ukraine cancels the Sevastopol lease and check the weather for the best moving day, only to be outmaneuvered.

Then they have the audacity to say “We’ve been engaging in a wonderful spirit of trust, but they’re just trolls. We just can’t work with them.”